Potty Training the Girl

Potty training is like pulling out eyebrow hairs - painful, inconsistent, and if you don't keep on top of them they just do their own wild and unruly thing.

I have been potty training P since before she was two...and she is now three. This means for over a year I have been cleaning up accidents, begging, pleading, bribing, cheering, flushing, and rewarding. I can't even write how many times I have cleaned up turds off the floor. I even have pictures of turds in random places in my house. The one by the play kitchen was my favorite because the thing sat in front of the oven like it belonged there. Yes, turds in the house. I am just very, very thankful the dogs never wanted to indulge. They just eat their own from time to time.

We had an awesome day on Saturday. The girl pooed in the "Elmo" potty. We have two potties: Elmo, which is a seat on the big potty, and the "Froggie Potty," which is a little kids potty you have to empty into the big potty. She prefers to poo in Elmo and pee in Froggy...whatever floats your boat, I guess. Her pooping in Elmo was a huge triumph for us because she would rather poo in her underwear or hold it than to poo in the potty. It has been a struggle for me because it is really gross to clean up, and it is frustrating when I know she can do and just doesn't. She has pooed in the potty countless times....why can't she do it everyday? She knows how, and she has been rewarded BIG time for doing it.

On Saturday when she pooed she got a tiara and a princess dress. She had been holding it for three days and trying and trying to poo. She kept complaining about her tummy hurting and I told her to just go. She refused. Then finally, she did it - and I had to go over the top in hopes this was the beginning of consistency.We went to Target and she went around telling everyone she saw "I got a sparkly tiara and a sparkly dress because I put a big snaky poo in the toilet." Yes, folks, everyone. She even stopped two little girls to tell them and their mommy. She told the cashier in a very loud voice what she did too. It was really funny, but kind of embarrassing for me. My kid yelling about that she did a big snaky poo made me laugh nervously.

Look, Mama! I pooped!

I thought we were on the road to pooing-in-the-potty land, and then we went to our friend's for dinner. I heard the other girls yelling "ewwe! gross! she pooped in her pants! It is everywhere!" My heart went into my shoes. I knew what happened and I was really upset. I was upset because she pooed her pants, it was a friend's house and got all over their floor and the playhouse, and because she didn't tell me she had to go. It was so embarrassing for me, but not for her! She needed a bath, new clothes and a pull-up because I didn't bring anything. It didn't bother her in the least - she was excited to play with the other girls' bath toys. We were only going for dinner and I thought for sure if she had to go she'd tell me. Not so...and I have learn a lesson that I need to be prepared for those types of accidents.

I seriously hope she never does that in public. I don't know what the heck I would do! Thankfully my friend was understanding.

She asked that bubbies stand next to the poo and take a picture, too.